Monday, 1 February 2016

New recycling charges are final slap in the face by Fine Gael and Labour-Brady

Sinn Féin general election candidate for Wicklow/East Carlow councillor John Brady has said that the signing off on plans by the Environment Minister Alan Kelly to make people start paying for their recycling is the final slap in the face for the electorate by a government that is leaving a trail of new taxes and cuts behind as their legacy. Brady stated that these new charges will lead to less materials being recycled and an increase in illegal dumping.

Councillor Brady said “Forcing people to pay for their recycling is a final slap in the face by Fine Gael and Labour who are leaving behind a legacy of cuts and stealth taxes. Forcing people to pay to recycle their waste will only lead to less material being recycled and an increase in illegal dumping. This story was first carried in the Sunday Business Post, it’s claimed that the new charges are to be implemented by July this year, and will add up to €100 extra on refuse charges for households.”

Brady went onto say “A lot of good work has been done over the recent past to ensure people are recycling as much of their refuse as possible. People recycle to help protect the environment and as a means to keeping their waste bills down. This new stealth tax will reverse that good work and will be counterproductive as it will result in an increase in illegal dumping and less materials getting recycled, ultimately damaging the environment and inflicting additional financial pressures on already hard hit families.”

“Wicklow County Council operates a number of excellent recycling centres across the County and I fear that as a result of these new recycling charges that are being introduced, there will be an attempt to also start charging the public to use these centres. Any attempt will be fought rigorously by the Sinn Féin councillors on Wicklow County Council.”

Cllr Brady concluded by saying “These new charges by Fine Gael and Labour should come as no surprise, as they are leaving behind a legacy of stealth taxes and cuts. There is no recovery for the vast majority of ordinary citizens and this new recycling tax will ensure that ordinary families will continue to struggle for as long as they remain in government. There should be incentives for people to recycle, not taxes. This new tax will be counterproductive and will damage both the environment and ordinary families.”